Cleaning natural nails - Nail Problems Message Board

Kaycee41 · 03-09-2005, 08:06 AM

Does anyone know the best way to clean and remove staining from natural nails? I have long nails and they start looking dirty under the tips even when I clean them with a nail brush. I think they get stained from handling things like berries, which I eat alot of. I heard somewhere that you can use denture cleaning tablets. Is this safe? I don't want to dry out or damage my natural nail, but I want them to be clean and white. I did try lemon juice...it helped, but they still look slightly dingy.

Marti · 03-10-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaycee41

Does anyone know the best way to clean and remove staining from natural nails? I have long nails and they start looking dirty under the tips even when I clean them with a nail brush. I think they get stained from handling things like berries, which I eat alot of. I heard somewhere that you can use denture cleaning tablets. Is this safe? I don't want to dry out or damage my natural nail, but I want them to be clean and white. I did try lemon juice...it helped, but they still look slightly dingy.

The best way to clean the underside of the nail plate is to soak in 5-minute Polident Denture Cleaner for 5 minutes. Disolve the tablet in warm water adn soak the nails. Clean the dead tissue (cuticle) from the underside of the nail plate by scraping it off with a metal nail file, a curved cuticle pusher, or an orangewood stick. It isn't the nail plate itself that is stained, it is the solehorn cuticle that grows forward with the nail plate unerneath the nail plate. Once you remove the dead skin, the nail should appear brighter and whiter.

Kaycee41 · 03-10-2005, 04:11 PM

Thanks Marti...I had heard you could use denture tablets, but was hesitant to try it. I'll give them a try since you gave it the okay.

2manywalkers · 03-17-2005, 08:48 PM

Kaycee41, I have found just good ole bleach on a q-tip. swirl for a few secs. and wash. Soak in lemonjuice for smell if you like. I do mine at night and find that after a shower in the morning there is very little lingering smell.

Marti · 03-18-2005, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2manywalkers

Kaycee41, I have found just good ole bleach on a q-tip. swirl for a few secs. and wash. Soak in lemonjuice for smell if you like. I do mine at night and find that after a shower in the morning there is very little lingering smell.

Bleach? Not a good idea as bleach is a sensitizing agent and can actually eat the first layer of skin off. That's why the container states the warning to use with GLOVES to protect your skin. If you clean out the cuticular skin from underneath the nail, the nails won't be yellowed or discolored. It is the SKIN that gets 'dirty', not the nail plate itself.